Edmonton – Samsung’s newest S4 smartphone, available in Canada at all majour cellcos for $199 with a three year plan, is so tantalizingly rich in features, it will keep the lion’s share of Android phone sales and even sway disgruntled iPhone users.
Why?
Here is a brief list if what does that no other phone can.
It has a larger 4.99 inch screen and is thinner at 7.9 mm and lighter at 130 grams in a surprisingly similarly sized body of the previous S3.
Its generous rounded corners and fine craftsmanship with the right amount of rounded edges makes it easy to hold despite its large screen.
It stands out in software features, doing everyday things more ways, including monitoring your health vitals.
My favorites are the ability to shoot a video in Dual Camera mode on its 13 megapixel front camera combining, at will, a smaller window video of you on the main screen.
The Eraser feature cleanly wipes someone who inadvertently walks in front of your photo subject.
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The zero lag camera shutter can shot 100 frames per second capturing fleeting moments in Drama mode. The 13 megapixel camera eclipses and competitor in photo quality but not necessarily in every mode. It rules in daylight mode but its night time mode does not match the Nokia Lumia 920 or the HTC ONE smaller but practical file faster processing.
The S translator instantly translates between nine foreign spoken languages in voice and text.
Story Album Feature creates a story album from photos and a hard copy book album can be ordered for about $20-$30.
Samsung will sell a boxed Home Sync cloud for home which will store media and give you access online from anywhere. In essence, a personal cloud.
S Voice Drive seemed to be the most responsive for a Samsung phone but still does not live up to iPhone Siri for AI cleverness but does a good job getting around hands free.
The screen even works when wearing gloves and it turns pages when tilted or leaned.
Group Play let’s you share music and photos with up to eight other S4 phones.
Air Gesture let’s you just wave across screen for some functions and the Smart Stay pauses a movie if you look away.
S health cam monitor body readings using the new temperature and humidity meters. Additional wireless arm band type accessories transmitting body information will be available for the S4 soon.
Air Wave magically allied functions by waving your hand across the screen.
A special View Cover Screen let’s you answer the phone while it covers the screen.
Is it a game changer? Clearly the S4 is a shot across Apple’s bow that it means business in making innovative phones. The phone is not a game changer but its app features are.
The combined innovation of all Android, Windows and BlackBerry phones runs circles around the iPhone whose Spartan flexibility and customization have spurred competitors even further.
Is it time for iPhone users to switch? My gut feeling does not see a much improved new iPhone release slated for this fall. If you think the features of the S4 will meet your needs, then try it for the next few years. You can also opt out from your cellco plan in the final third year by only paying the difference on what you owe on the phone, which will amount to no more than $170, a small price to pay in a world where smartphones are so important to us.
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